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ICUCH Represented at UN Ocean Conference 2025 in Nice
The ICOMOS International Committee on Underwater Cultural Heritage (ICUCH) was prominently represented at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France (June 9–13, 2025), co-hosted by France and Costa Rica
June 13, 2025
Our Ocean, Our Future, Our Responsibility
“The ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future. The ocean is an important source of the planet’s biodiversity and plays a vital role in the climate system and water cycle. The ocean provides a range of ecosystem services, supplies us with oxygen to breathe, contributes to food security, nutrition and decent jobs and livelihoods, acts as a sink and reservoir of greenhouse gases and protects biodiversity, provides a means for maritime transportation, including for global trade, forms an important part of our natural and cultural heritage and plays an essential role in sustainable development, a sustainable ocean-based economy and poverty eradication.”
– political declaration of the 2022 united nations ocean conference
The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) was co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025.
The overarching theme of the Conference is “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”. The Conference aims to support further and urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and identify further ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14. It will build on existing instruments to form successful partnerships towards the swift conclusion and effective implementation of ongoing processes that contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean.
ICUCH’s active participation, both on the conference floor and in key side events, reinforces the vital role of underwater cultural heritage in ocean sustainability. Their involvement emphasizes how submerged sites—historical wrecks in particular—must be safeguarded not only for their cultural significance, but also to prevent environmental hazards and strengthen global marine conservation efforts.
Furthermore, ICOMOS and IUCN are issuing a statement to draw attention to the existential risks posed by potentially polluting wrecks. More than 8,500 shipwrecks containing, or potentially leaking, an estimated 2.5-20 million tons of pollutants pose a constant threat to the health of the oceans, the marine environment and the cultural and historical values of underwater cultural heritage.
Considering the increasing risk of environmental pollution posed by these shipwrecks, ICOMOS and IUCN call upon governments and their relevant agencies to take action to strategically manage and remove pollutants from sunken ships.
ICOMOS and IUCN are encouraging collaboration among governments to create a toolkit for assessing pollution risks from shipwrecks, while respecting their role as maritime gravesites and cultural heritage.
We stand together to protect our oceans and our history.
ICUCH NEWS
The ICUCH News section explores the protection, research, and celebration of underwater cultural heritage around the world. We share ideas, case studies, and insights from heritage professionals, archaeologists, and community voices working to preserve humanity’s submerged past while highlighting the importance of safeguarding underwater heritage for future generations. The views expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position of ICUCH.
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